5 phones with the best battery life

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Now that the end of 2018 is just around the corner, it's time to take a look back at some of the best phones of the year. So when it comes to having an enduring battery life, you can't get better than these five phones below. (And we know it's clickbait-y to even say this, but you won't believe no. 5 on this list -- really, it surprised even us.)

After all, the last thing you want is for your phone to run out of juice when you need it most. Usually, a phone lasts a full work day with moderate use. But if you use it heavily, you'll need to recharge it more often. Batteries also lose steam over time, running down faster the longer you've owned the phone. The possibility of losing battery -- and therefore losing your communication hub -- is frightening and real.

If you feel your phone's battery seems to be stuck in the '90s and doesn't last as long as you'd like, you're not alone. So if a long-life battery tops your list of needs, check out these top-scorers -- they lasted impressively long during our lab tests for continuous video playback on Airplane mode.

Clocking in the best time for all three iPhones this year, the XR lasted a fantastic 19 hours and 53 minutes. It also delivers many desirable iPhone features, including an excellent big screen in a comfortable body, fast performance, Face ID and wireless charging, as well as a camera that's mostly as good as the iPhone XS.

With an impressive average of 19 hours and 20 minutes, the Galaxy Note 9's massive battery powers its big, beautiful screen and high-end hardware. The phone also has an updated smart S Pen that doubles as a wireless remote in case you need to fire off the shutter for that long-distance selfie.

It'd be pretty hard to get your hands on the Nex if you don't live in Asia, India and Russia. But even with its low availability, there's no denying that the phone has one of the longest battery run-times we tested, at 21 hours and 50 minutes. The Nex also has a cool pop-up camera and a beautiful bezel-less design.

Though it's difficult to nab a Huawei phone in the US (and its CFO being arrested in Canada doesn't make things any easier for the company), Huawei is still the second-biggest phone manufacturer in the world. Its Mate 20 Pro is one of the most innovative phones we've seen in a long time and its 18-hour lab run is the cherry on top.

Though it may not be the most popular phone company, BlackBerry's Key2 impressed us all with its 18-hour battery time. The phone's physical QWERTY keyboard also makes it a rarity in the market, and it takes solid photos with its dual rear cameras.